Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2–In a superhero suit that features the internal organs of the upper body, Slim Goodbody introduces the groups of the U.S. Food Pyramid. Information includes the different varieties of food found around the world, the path from nature to plate, health benefits and recommended daily servings, and acknowledgment of other dietary recommendations. The sensibility of the series is like that of an educational television show, with children dressed in T-shirts picturing the featured food sharing hosting duties with Slim, and the occasional singsong rhyme, such as the one in Dairy: “I think it’s amazing/How milk in your glass/Starts out in a field,/With a cow munching grass.” There is a picture glossary instead of a textual one, which is fine for “avocado” and “eggplant,” but not so much for “kohlrabi” and “falafel.”

Children's Literature - Beverly Melasi

The U.S. food pyramid is designed to help kids eat right. There are six food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meats (and beans), and fats (oils). This book is about the milk food group. Milk helps our eyes see well, bones grow strong, heart pump well, and teeth stay hard. Almost any time is a good time to drink milk. Low-fat and fat-free milk are best for our bodies. Kids should drink two cups of milk every day. Many products are made from milk. Some include: American cheese, yogurt, pudding, cottage cheese, and ice cream. In America, most of us get our milk from cows. The milk that comes from the grocery store was once inside a grass-munching cow in a field. She was milked, and the milk was pumped into a refrigerated vat and taken to a milk factory. In other countries, milk comes from other animals as well, like reindeer, sheep, horses, camels, and water buffalos. Some milk, such as rice milk and soy milk, don't come from animals at all. The author's inclusion of other animals that give milk and the country where they live is a unique element of this book. Reviewer: Beverly Melasi